Billiard-cue rack



May 15, 1923. 1,454,900

' H. F. LEVENTRY BI LLIARD CUE RACK Fil ed March 5. 1921 5 Sheets-Sheet '1 5mm 6 .5 H1 7 Le 1767: Z2

H. F. LEVENTRY BIL-LIARD CUE RACK May 15, 1923. 1,454300' Filed March 5, 1921 s Sheets-Sheet 2 {Juan wt HFLG Venf/y.

May 15, 1923. 1,454,900

H. F. LEVENTRY BILLIARD CUE RACK Fild March 5 1921 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented May 15, i923.

stenr crates.

HENRY F. LE'VENTBY, OF JOHNSTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA.

BILLIARD-CUE BACK.

Application filed March 5, 1921. Serial No. 449,828

T 0 all to hom it may concern Be it known that I, HENRY F. LnvnN'rnY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Johnstown, in the county of Cambria and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Billiard()ue Racks, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in billiard cue racks.

As is well known, the ordinary cue rack comprises a ledge having shallow sockets in which the butt ends of the cues maybe disposed, and a rail which is positioned a suitable distance above the ledge and which is provided with a number of openings so that the tip ends of the cues may be in serted therethrough before'their butt ends are disposed upon the ledge. Such a r-ask however presents various disadvantages which it is the object of the present invention to overcome. Cues are frequently placed in such a rack in a careless manner and sometimes in a more or less inclined position, particularly where the cue ends are not engaged in corresponding ones of'the ledge sockets and rail openings, and no means is provided affording a support for the one between its ends so that as a result of temperature changes the cues will become warped and therefore unfit for accurate use. Also it happens frequently that a cue carelessly placed in such a rack and not properly seated at its butt end, will fall from the rack. Also in inserting the tip end of a cue through the opening in the upper rail of such a rack, careless handling of the one is liable to result in the tip being struck against the rail and either torn off or damaged in such a manner as to render the cue unfit for use until supplied with a new tip.

In consideration of the foregoing it is one of the objects of the present invention to provide means for more or less firmly gripping a one at spaced points in its length so that notwithstanding temperature changes to which the one may be subjected, it will not be liable to become warped.

Another object of the invention is to provide, in a cue rack, means for positively gripping the cues disposed within the rack and for supporting the cues in true upright position so that they cannot fall from the rack and will, as stated above, be prevented from warping.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for supporting the cues in such a manner that a cue cannot be placed in the rack in any position except the correct position, and after having been so placed will be held in this position until it is desired to move it from the rack.

A further object of the invention is .to provlde means whereby all of the gripping devices for each one may be simultaneously operated to release the one or to permit of the placing of the one between their coacting members.

Another object of the invention is to so construct the gripping devices that they will adapt themselves to cues of various sizes and therefore be adapted to firmly support cues of small size as Well as larger sizes of cues.

, The invention also has a further object to provide cue gripping means so constructed that a lock may be associated therewith to prevent removal of a one except by an authorized person. a i.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a cue rack embodying the present invention;

Figure 2 is a'similar view of one of the cue holding units in detail;

Figure 3 is a detail horizontal sectional view on the line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a detail view in elevation of a portion of one of the units, and illustrating in full lines the members of the gripping means closed, and in dotted lines the said members moved apart to permit of the removal or introduction of. the cue;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of one of the cue holding units, the parts being disconnected;

Figure 6 is a detail vertical sectional view on the line 6&6 of'Fig-ure 2;

. Figure 7 is a horizontal sectional view on the line 77 of Figure 2.

The rackembodying the present invention comprises a plurality of cue holding units which are arranged within a wall cabinet resembling in size and shape the ordinary cue rack. This cabinet comprises a back which is indicated in general by the numeral 1 and which consists of a pluralit of panels 2 vertically disposed and with Q 1,454,9oo

their adjacent edges suitably spaced. as

shown for example in Figures 3 and 7 of the drawings. The cabinet further includes sides 3, a top a, and a bottom or ledge 5, which latter is formed in its upper face with a plurality of sockets or seats (3 to receive the butt ends of the cues to be supported, the cues being indicated by the numeral 7.

The one holding units are of counterpart construction and therefore a specific description of one will suffice for all, and each of these units comprises a plurality of spaced cue gripping i'neans mounted upon the back 1 in vertical aligmnent and each indicated in general by the numeral 8. Each gripping means or device 8 com 'irises a pair ot gripping members 9 having shanr portions 10 formed to be disposed in relatively overlapped relation, as best shown in Figures 4c and (3 of the drawings, and apertured for the passage of a pivot bolt or the like indicated by the numeral 11 whereby the members are pivotally connected together and to a common actuating means which will presently be described. The shank portion of each member 9 is also formed with a slot 12 disposed diagonally so that in the assembled relation of the members the slots will be relatively inclined upwardly from each other. Guide elements such for example as screws 13 are fitted through the slots 12 and into the channels comprising the back 1 and it will be evident, particularly by reference to Figure 4 of the drawings, that when the pivot 11 of the gripping means is moved in a downward direction, the upper portions of the members 9 will be moved inwardly toward each other because of the inclination of the slots 12 and the guiding influence of the elements 13. On the other hand when the pivot 11 is moved in an upward direction, the members 9 will be relatively separated at their upper portions, as shown in dotted lines in the said Figure 4-. In order that when the members are brought together at their upper portions they may be adapted to securely grip a cue disposed between them, the upper portion of each memher 9 is provided with a forwardly projecting jaw 1 1, and the opposing faces of the sides of these jaws are formed with substantially semi-circular recesses 15, the walls of which are adapted to embrace the opposite sides of the cue 7 disposed between the members, this being clearly illustrated in Figure 3 of the drawings. Preferably the outer ends of the jaws 14 are curved inwardly toward the recessed faces of the jaws as indicated by the numeral 16 so that even where a one is carelessly handled it will be guided by these curved portions into engagement between the aws 11.

' The number of gripping means provided for holding each cue may be varied as desired but in the illustrated embodiment of the invention one such means is located at a point suitably spaced above the ledge 53, another adjacent the top st of the cabinet, and a third at a point intermediate the two first-mentioned so that a cue gripped by the series of such means will be engaged near. its butt end, near its tip end, and at an intermediate point. As cues are more or less unifomly tapered, the recesses 15 in the opposing faces of the jaws 14 of the several gripping means will be proportioned so as to conform more or less snugly to the particular surface portions of a one which their walls are to engage, and thus, at the several points of engagement of the gripping means with the cue, the cue will be gripped with a substantially uniform degree of pressure and will thus be afforded uniform and firm support throughout its length.

The guide elements 13 are located at opposite sides of the spaced adjacent edges of the panels to which they are secured, and the pivots 11, being equidistantly spaced from these elements and located between the same, will be in alignment with the space between the said adjacent edges of the panels as best shown in Figure 2 of the drawings. Mounted for shifting movement between the panel edges is an actuating member which is indicated in general by the numeral 17 and which comprises a rod 18 into or through which the pivots 11 are secured. It will now be evident that by shifting the rod in an upward direction the members 9 of all of the gripping devices 8 will simultaneously be spread apart at their upper or jaw ends so as to either release a cue which has previously been gripped between these jaws, or to permit of the intro duction of a one between the said jaws. On the other hand, downward shifting movement of the jaws will cause the jaws to simultaneously close into engagement with the opposite sides of the cue deposited between them. This latter movement of the rod 18 is automatically effected through the medium of a spring .19 which is fitted onto the rod at any suitable point in its length and bears at its upper end against an abutment element 520 fixed upon the panel back 1 of the cabinet and preferably apertured, as at 21, for the sliding engagement of the rod therethrough. The lower end of the spring bears against a stop pin or the like 22 carried by the rod below the abutment element 20, the spring being in this manner arranged to exert a downward thrust upon the rod so as to normally maintain the jaws of the several gripping means closed and yieldably in gripping engagement with a cue disposed between them. Upward movement of the rod 18 for the purpose heretofore stated is of course against the tension of the spring 19 and may be effected by a manually operable lever means which is indicated in general by the numeral 23. This lever means comprises a short shaft 24 mounted for rocking movement in the bearing 25 upon the face of one of the panels 2 and at one side of the space between the edge of this panel and the next adjacent panel, and which shaft is provided at one end with a crank arm 26 projecting into the said space and pivotally connected with the lower end of a rod 27, the upperv end of which rod is connected, as at 28, with the lower end of the actuating rod 18. The shaft 2a is provided at its opposite end with a forwardly projecting lever member 29 having a finger piece 30 by which it may be conveniently grasped for the purpose of swinging the said member in a downward direction and-thus cause upward swinging movement of the crank arm 26 to upwardly shift the rod 18 for the purpose above stated.

By offsetting the jaws 14 in a forward direction, the recesses 15 are spaced'forwardly from the panels 2 so that a cue gripped by the walls of the recesses will be suitably spaced from the panels and may therefore be conveniently grasped in placing it in position and removing it, and in order to limit the movement of a cue into position between the jaws and thus prevent a cue being placed too far back with relation to the gripping portions of the jaws, stop rails 31 are secured upon the panels and eX- tend transversely thereof, one above each of the cue gripping devices, as illustrated in Figures l, 2 and 6 of the drawings, the forward sides of these rails being located substantially in a plane with the rear or inner corners of the walls of the recesses 15 of the respective jaw members so that when a one is disposed in position resting against all of the rails 31 it will be precisely in position to be gripped between the walls of the said recesses.

If it is desired to provide against unauthorized removal of a cue stored within the rack, any suitable lock 32 may be positioned upon the back 1 of the cabinet adjacent to some predetermined portion of the respective actuating rod 18, and the bolt 33 of this look may be projected into a keeper recess 34: formed in the adjacent side of the said portion of the rod. so that when the bolt is projected and is in engagement with the recess 34, the rod will be held against longitudinal movement but when the bolt is retracted, the rod may be shifted in the manner and for the purposes previously explained.

By reference to Figure 1 of the drawings it will be observed that the sockets or seats 6 open completely through the bottom or ledge 5 of the cabinet and are tapered in the direction of their lower ends so that the conical walls of these seats or sockets serve like, to prevent marring of the cues engaged thereby.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is: v

1. In a rack for billiard cues, means for gripping a cue at a. plurality of spaced points in its length, the said means co-mprising sets of relatively movable coacting gripping members, and means operable to simultaneously relatively separate the members of the several sets to permit the introduction or removal of the cue.

2. In a. rack for billiard cues, means for gr pping a one at a plurality of spaced points in its length and comprising sets of relatively movable coacting gripping members, common means yieldably hOlding the members of all of the sets closed, and means operable to simultaneously relatively separate the members of the several sets.

8. In a rack for billiard cues, means for gripping a cue at spaced points in its length and comprising sets of relatively movable coacting members having jaw portions formed to embrace the opposite sides of a cue introduced between the said jaw portions, means for limiting the movement of the cue to position between the said jaw portions, and means common to all of the said sets and operable to relatively separate the members of the several sets. i

1. In a rack for billiard cues, means for gripping a one at spaced points in its length, the said means comprising sets of coacting gripping members, means for guiding the members for movement toward and away from each other, a rod to which the members of all of the several sets are pivotally coir nected, and means for shifting the rod.

5. In a rack for billiard cues, means for gripping a cue at spaced points in its length, the said means comprising coacting gripping members, means for guiding the members for movement toward and away from each other, a rod to'which the members of the several means are pivotally connected,

means for shifting the rod in one direction,

the several means are pivotally connected,

v ILA-54,900

means for shifting the rod in one direction, and a locking means for coaction with the rod to positively hold the same against shifting.

7. In a rack for billiard cues, cue gripping means comprising coacting jaw members, a shiftable actuating rod, means pivotelly connecting the shanks of the aw members to the said rod the jaw members hav- 1o ing slots formed in their said shanks, and

guided by the engagement of the pins in 15 the slots for movement toward and from each other to grip or release cue disposed between them.

In testimony whereof E a'lfix my signature.

HENRY F. LEVENJCRY. 11. S 

